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- Multidisciplinary study: the value and benefits
Multidisciplinary study: the value and benefits

This free course, Multidisciplinary study: the values and benefits, explores the advantages of studying more than one subject and will help you to decide if multidisciplinary study is for you. Featuring videos with students on the Open University’s ‘Open’ qualifications, you will learn about the unique skills you can gain from studying a multi-subject qualification and how it can benefit your career prospects.
The Open University would really appreciate a few minutes of your time to tell us about yourself and your expectations for the course before you begin, in our optional start-of-course survey 342. Once you complete the course we would also value your feedback and suggestions for future improvement, in our optional end-of-course survey 343. Participation will be completely confidential and we will not pass on your details to others.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
- identify and explain the difference between multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary study
- recognise the benefits of applying different subject approaches or views to different contexts
- explain the skills gained from studying multi-subject qualifications to employers
- recognise the concept of ‘multipotentiality’ and reflect on how it might apply to you
- identify potential career pathways from studying a multi-subject qualification.
Earn this free Open University digital badge if you complete this course! The badge can be displayed, shared and downloaded as a marker of your achievement. The badge is awarded for completing the course and passing the quizzes.
First Published: 21/06/2018
Updated: 12/04/2019
You can start this course right now without signing-up. Click on any of the course content sections below to start at any point in this course.
If you want to be able to track your progress, earn a free Statement of Participation, and access all course quizzes and activities, sign-up.
Course content
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- How to get your badge
- 1 Definitions
- 2 Which definition should I use?
- 3 The evolution of interdisciplinary approaches
- 4 Why study multiple subjects?
- 5 The benefits of studying a multidisciplinary qualification
- 6 Skills developed through multidisciplinary study
- 7 Introducing ‘multipotentiality’
- 8 Choosing which subjects to study
- 9 What are my career options with a multidisciplinary qualification?
- 10 End-of-course quiz
- 11 Conclusion
- Tell us what you think
- References
- Acknowledgements
- This site has Copy Reuse Tracking enabled - see our FAQs for more information.
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Creative commons: The Open University is proud to release this free course under a Creative Commons licence.
However, any third-party materials featured within it are used with permission and are not ours to give away. These materials are not subject to the Creative Commons licence. See terms and conditions377 and our FAQs378.
Full copyright details can be found in the Acknowledgements section of each week.
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About this free course
5 hours study
Level 1: Introductory
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